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Off topic but....If grades are an issue but you want to go in the medical field have you considered a masters in physician assistant studies? Its actually pretty sweet because you do everything an MD does but unlike an MD you dont have to specialize and in 3 years if you decide say peds isn't for you, you can up and move to cardio. Anywho! Good luck to you in whatever you do decide!
Off topic but....If grades are an issue but you want to go in the medical field have you considered a masters in physician assistant studies? Its actually pretty sweet because you do everything an MD does but unlike an MD you dont have to specialize and in 3 years if you decide say peds isn't for you, you can up and move to cardio. Anywho! Good luck to you in whatever you do decide!
Everything an MD does, except have practice autonomy (PA's have to have a physician oversee their work) and freedom to write whatever prescriptions they choose. I'm not knocking PA's - they are important mid-level providers - but their practice rights are much more restrictive compared to an MD's.
Honestly, if the OP decides against medical school but still wants to be a clinician, I would recommend being a nurse practitioner. Unlike a PA, an NP can practice independently and prescribe most medications themselves. The time commitment isn't much different either.
Everything an MD does, except have practice autonomy (PA's have to have a physician oversee their work) and freedom to write whatever prescriptions they choose. I'm not knocking PA's - they are important mid-level providers - but their practice rights are much more restrictive compared to an MD's.
Honestly, if the OP decides against medical school but still wants to be a clinician, I would recommend being a nurse practitioner. Unlike a PA, an NP can practice independently and prescribe most medications themselves. The time commitment isn't much different either.
NP's follow a nursing model though and if the OP is looking at MD I'm sure she wants a medical model. PA's do work independently in many more rural clinics and by having an MD approval it usually means they remotely looks over their work once a week and or the MD is around for advice if the PA is stumped. They can also prescribe meds and don't need an MD approval. I suspect with the new health care crap that PA's are going to become increasingly popular in the very near future too.
School wise, you have to be an RN before NP too which at this point would be much more schooling for the OP.
Everything an MD does, except have practice autonomy (PA's have to have a physician oversee their work) and freedom to write whatever prescriptions they choose. I'm not knocking PA's - they are important mid-level providers - but their practice rights are much more restrictive compared to an MD's.
Honestly, if the OP decides against medical school but still wants to be a clinician, I would recommend being a nurse practitioner. Unlike a PA, an NP can practice independently and prescribe most medications themselves. The time commitment isn't much different either.
I think you both are correct. However, NPs in the state of SC work under the supervision of a physician, and I believe PAs do also. I'm an NP that has worked with many PAs, and I have a lot of respect for them. I think both NPs and PAs are both midlevel providers that have much autonomy, but can't do everything an MD can do, nor should we. We still need MDs.
Regardless of what the OP chooses, I think any time you're in the medical field to try to help people and try to help figure out "puzzles" or diagnostic dilemmas, it's interesting and rewarding work, whether you're an MD, DO, PA, NP, RN, LPN or Nuc Med Tech, etc.
Sorry to get off topic. To the OP, good luck! Come and visit and I think you will find your answers.
Avoid the small towns. They are very much like where you are coming from. Stick very close to Greenville, Greer, Mauldin, Easley, Spartanburg. As an Anderson County resident, I wouldn't recommend anything here, not even Powdersville.
Hi everyone. I'm not normally one to post on forums and such (I usually just lurk and read all the other threads to answer my questions). But lately, the decision to relocate is weighing very heavily on me, and I'm stressing out about what's best for my family. I was hoping some of you would be willing to give me some advice.
About us: We are a young family. I'm 29, DH is 31, and our only child is 5 and just started kindergarten. We've lived in rural WV all our lives, although we spent our college years in a couple of the larger towns here. I'm not currently working-- I'm a senior biology major at a university here, looking into med school or maybe research when I graduate. Hubby is the store manager for a growing retail company. I grew up here all my life, and we've lived in our current house for almost 7 yrs (we own our home).
About Our current town and why we're leaving: (Warning: Rant ahead). I'm going to be brutally honest about why we're considering a move: We are MISERABLE here. We live in a typical rural WV mountain town. It's pretty and quiet and boring. People here are shallow and uneducated, everyone is always up in everyone else's business. Seems like everyone is riding the welfare system or getting a disability check or on painkillers. Those who didn't fall prey to poverty settled into teaching or nursing or coal mining. And then there's that tiny percentage of people who became doctors or lawyers. Jobs, decent shopping, good medical care, and restaurants are scarce (I had to drive 1.5 hours to get my kid decent school clothes). The first of the month here is like a circus-- people make their monthly trek out of their mountain houses and descend upon Wal-Mart like zombies, to leave with cartsfull of junk food and prescription painkillers. It's a hopeless, depressing existence. In warmer months, this is also a major tourist area: Outdoor recreation is HUGE here and people just love the lake. In the fall, this place goes crazy with all the hippies who swarm the rivers with kayaks in tow. I truly have no idea why they like it here.... maybe they're all from large cities and like the "small town feel". Maybe the qaintness of it all draws them in from their busy lives. I have no clue. And I'll admit that if I didn't live in this podunk town, I might want to visit long enough to gawk at the simplicity of country life. I only wish I had the option to leave and go back to civilization. Cause for me and my family-- living here is excruciating.
OK rant OVER. :-)
So..... my husband got offered a promotion to work in the Greenville area. It's quite a bit more money than what he makes now (right around $45 thou annually, plus bonuses). His company pretty much guaranteed his job-- they literally just told him that if we can't sell our house before we move, they would pay a portion of our rent until we can. It's so tempting. I'm salivating over the thought of getting out of this place.
But I have some reservations-- 1, I'm worried about how culture shock might scare me. Coming from such a sheltered, small-town existence, what might be some things that would catch me off-guard about the area? I know I sound ridiculous asking this, but I think the drastic increase in population would freak me out-- I was looking on Google Earth and it looks like people just live right on top of each other (Do y'all even have yards?! Lol!). And I think my little girl might faint, actually having a choice as to where to go out to eat supper (OMG! You mean we don't have to eat Bob Evans again?!). What about traffic?-- Here you can pretty much get ANYWHERE in 15 minutes or less and there is NO traffic. Also- what about my little girl?- Do you think kids there would accept her as the "new kid" in class?- do you think they'll make fun of her for coming from WV? How about good neighborhoods for families? We are looking for around the $875-$1100/ month rental range (not interested in buying again.). I'd love to have a place where she could ride her bike or play outside without me worrying. As for me, I'd love to further my education... grad school is a definite possibility and I'm taking the MCAT this year and even looking into med school as an option (which might require another move, but we'll burn that bridge when we get there).
I know I can't have my cake and eat it too.... I know I can't have all things I like crammed into one perfect Utopia, while all the crazies and pillbillies are fenced out. But we are so unhappy where we are, and I'm just trying desperately to be happy again, and give my family the life we so badly crave. I know this was a long post (Sorry...), but I hope someone can give me some advice. Thanks so much for reading.
LOL, yea, it's a real concrete jungle down here in upstate South Cackalacky I don't think there is going to be anywhere near the culture shock you're expecting. Greenville has about 65,000 people, putting it in the very big town/very small city category, but it's also a large area, so, no, there is no "living on top of each other" AT ALL and there are multiple countrified areas from which to choose, if you want a lot of land. I would consider Greenville to be a good example of the "New South". There are many, many northern transplants down here, including myself, which helps bring diversity, although you will still find a good 'ol-fashioned Baptist church on every corner. Traffic is only bad in certain specific areas, but I just have to laugh at your post, being born and raised in Chicago and having lived 30 mins. from NYC for a year. I guess everything is relative. By the way, I know what you mean about WV. My mom's side of the family is from Fairmont. It is certainly a beautiful state, but can almost be compared to a third-world country. The people...are depressing to observe -- generally speaking. Anyway, I definitely don't think you'd have any problems fitting in and it would most likely be a welcome change for you!!! Hope I helped!!!
Avoid the small towns. They are very much like where you are coming from. Stick very close to Greenville, Greer, Mauldin, Easley, Spartanburg. As an Anderson County resident, I wouldn't recommend anything here, not even Powdersville.
Very good advice. Stray too far away and you will start to once again get that "Deliverance" feel you are describing LOL
Very good advice. Stray too far away and you will start to once again get that "Deliverance" feel you are describing LOL
Hmmm... I think people familiar with Travelers Rest, Fountain Inn, Clemson, etc. would probably disagree with that statement.
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I don't think there is going to be anywhere near the culture shock you're expecting. Greenville has about 65,000 people, putting it in the very big town/very small city category, but it's also a large area, so, no, there is no "living on top of each other" AT ALL and there are multiple countrified areas from which to choose, if you want a lot of land. I would consider Greenville to be a good example of the "New South". There are many, many northern transplants down here, including myself, which helps bring diversity, although you will still find a good 'ol-fashioned Baptist church on every corner. Traffic is only bad in certain specific areas, but I just have to laugh at your post, being born and raised in Chicago and having lived 30 mins. from NYC for a year. I guess everything is relative. By the way, I know what you mean about WV. My mom's side of the family is from Fairmont. It is certainly a beautiful state, but can almost be compared to a third-world country. The people...are depressing to observe -- generally speaking. Anyway, I definitely don't think you'd have any problems fitting in and it would most likely be a welcome change for you!!! Hope I helped!!!
I think people familiar with Travelers Rest, Fountain Inn, Clemson, etc. would probably disagree with that statement.
